El Coll District : Barrios of Barcelona

El Coll is one of the five neighborhoods that form the district of Gràcia, located between Vallcarca i els Penitents, La Salut, La Teixonera and El Carmel, the last two neighborhoods belonging to the Horta-Guinardó district.

Located three hundred meters above sea level, El Coll is a mountain area with little more than seven thousand inhabitants.

El Coll was an area that was frequently used by the noble people to hunt, but it was transformed into a residential area full of fine houses, in the beginning of the twentieth century. Shortly after, El Coll became the site of a “building fever”, having every single empty space occupied by new constructions.

Points of interest in El Coll

Parque de la Creuta del Coll

Parque de la Creuta del Coll is one of the most important sites in El Coll neighborhood. It was constructed in 1976 when a controversial decision was made to build a public park open to all neighbors in Gràcia, instead of constructing new buildings. The park is a green space with ping pong tables and a lake that turns into a public pool during the summer. The park is also the home of Eduardo Chilida’s claw-shaped sculture “In Praise of theWater”.

Centre Civic El Coll – La Bruguera

Centre Civic El Coll – La Bruguera is a public establishment that offers services and activities for people of all ages. It is a space for social and cultural manifestation. Civic El Coll – La Bruguera occupies the building that once belonged to the Editorial Bruguera, a Spanish publishing house that was dissolved in 1986.

The neighborhood of El Coll is served only by the blue subway line (L5) that stops at El Coll|La Teixonera, though visitors can also use the green line (L3) to access the area, exiting at Vallcarca or Penitents.

Related article: Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera

Finca Sansalvador

Finca Sansalvador is one of the first works by modernist architect Josep Maria Jujol. It was originally purchased by doctor Salvador Sansalvador in order to create two different constructions: one summer house and a tower he would make available for rent. The project came to a standstill when radiologic water was discovered on the property. At the time, radioactivity was believed to be good for the body, so the construction stopped in order to make the radiologic water available for sale. Today visitors can see the entryway to the property, with beautiful designs and tile work.